Printer&#39;s apparatus



Dec. 25, 1934; r 1,985,551

H. J. REARDON PRINTERS APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 3, 1933 INVENTOR ATTOR N EY 1934- H. J. REARDON PRINTERS APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY Patented Dec. 25, 1934 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

4 Claims.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in printers apparatus.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved printing apparatus including a printers chase and lock-up means therefor that are particularly designed, for use with flat, shallow rubber type, that are less than type (0.918") high, and for use with unmounted rubber cuts and unmounted linoleum cuts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chase and lock-up means therefor that are specially designed for use in conjunction with the hand printing press described in my co-pending United States application, Serial No. 669,392 filed May 4, 1933, now Patent No. 1,924,288, issued Aug. 29, 1933. This object arises from the fact that none f the prior art chases is suitable for use in conjunction with the hand printing press described in my aforementioned co-pending application since the press described therein requires a very shallow, fiat chase so that the carriage may be properly guided in its trackway over the bed plate of the press during the printing operation.

In so far as I am aware, there has never been, heretofore, a chase and look-up means therefor designed so that unmounted rubber cuts, map printing forms, and unmounted linoleum cuts, less than type high (0.918) could be locked therein, either by themselves or with rubber type that are less than type high and registry obtained for printing or making successive copies from the assembled unit. Another object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a chase and lock-up means therefor in which unmounted rubber euts, map printing forms, and unmounted linoleum cuts, less than type high (0.918), can be assembled and locked therein in printing position, either by themselves or with rubber type that are less than type high, and copies reproduced therefrom on paper or the like without the necessity for planing and proving up the cuts and type.

I have found by experiment that during the course of many inking operations the side walls of a chase frequently become smeared or covered with ink, deposited by the inking roller or brayer which is run over the type or type and out assembled in the chase during the inking opera tion. Frequently it is necessary to lay the paper, on which the printing or copying is to be done, upon the type or type and out, assembled in the chase, in such. a manner, or the paper will be of such a size, that the marginal edges thereof will overlie the marginal walls ofthe chase. Hence either before or during the printing operation one or both of the side edges of the paper are apt to engage the ink-smeared edges of the chase and thereby cause an undesirable marginal line or border to be printed on the margin of the paper. This is particularly apt to happen when either a narrow cut or a short line of type or both are assembled in the chase, that is, when only a relatively few type are set up in each line, (as for example, the short line of type 22 shown in full lines in Fig. 1 hereof) since in this case the inking roller tends to dip at one end of the short line and to rise at the other end of the line due to the narrowness of the base that a short line of type provides for the inking roller during the inking operation.

Another object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a chase and lock-up bars in the use of which the aforementioned objectionable feature of smearing the flanges of the chase during the inking operation is eliminated.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the new apparatus showing the chase having a line of rubber type assembled therein in printing position, and showing a preferred form of the new locking bars assembled in the chase;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 2.2 in Fig. 1, showing the assembly of the rubber type and locking bars in the preferred form of the new apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on line 3-3 in Fig. 1, showing the relationship of the upper surfaces of the new locking bars and the undercut or rabbeted end portions of the same to the upper surfaces of the overhanging side flanges of the new chase;

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view showing a preferred form of the new locking bars;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the new chase showing a modified form of the looking bars assembled therein;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of line 66 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view showing the modified form ofthe locking bars;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the new Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-.-9 in Fig. 8,

showing the arrangement of the unmounted rubher and linoleum cuts and rubber type in the chase; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line 10-10 in Fig. 9 showing the arrangement of an unmounted rubber cut in the chase.

A preferred embodiment of the new printing apparatus is shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is generally indicated at 10 in the drawings, and includes a relatively shallow, pan-like chase 11 having a flat base or bottom 27 which has parallel top and bottom surfaces. The new chase or tray 11 is preferably made from a single blank of light metal, such as, for example, an aluminum alloy, although other materials may be used and the choice thereof is not limited to the use of metal. Formed integrally with the flat bottom 27 of the chase 11 and overhanging the same is a marginal flange which includes two parallel side wall portions 12 and two parallel end Wall portions 26. There is a cut-out portion at the intersection between one end flange portion 26 and one side flange portion 12 providing an inlet 13 at one corner of the chase 11. The marginal flange 12-26 is channel-shaped in cross section (Figs. 3 and 2) and cooperates with the base or bottom 27 of the chase to provide a marginal groove or channelway 35 that extends around the marginal edge of the chase.

The new apparatus includes lock-up means for locking flat, shallow rubber type 16, rubber cuts 37, and linoleum cuts 38 (Figs. 8 to 10) either individually or collectively in the new chase. This lock-up means includes looking or type-holder bars and a preferred form of the latter is indi cated at 14 (Fig. l). These bars 14 are slidably inserted into the chase 11 through the inlet 13, and are slidably arranged upon and supported by the flat bottom or base 27 of the chase. The locking bars 14 may be made of any suitable material, which may be wood, or other material, but for this purpose a suitable metal, such, for example, as brass, or an aluminum alloy, is preferred. Each of the line-holder bars 14 has rabbeted or undercut end portions 15, for a purpose that will appear hereinafter, and these end portions are slidably introduced into the groove or channelway 35 under the two overhanging parallel side flanges 12, of the chase 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Flat, shallow rubber type are indicated at 16. These type are relatively flat and shallow in depth to conform to the shallow depth of the chase 11, and are less than type (0.918) high. Both the chase 11 and the type 16 are made flat and relatively shallow in depth so that they may be placed in assembled relationship upon the bed plate of the printing press, described in my aforementioned Patent No. 1,924,288, whereupon the carriage and impression roller of said press may then be run thereover so as to lift the vertical rollers of the carriage slightly, but not too high, 01f the horizontal walls of its trackways that are formed in the bed plate of the press; thereby causing the impression roller to ride with its own weight and the weight of its carriage upon the rubber type 16 during the printing operation; while still allowing the carriage to be guided in its trackway. This printing operation could not be carried out with the said printing press it the chase were not flat and shallow and if the type 16 were of the customary height of metal type (type high, 0.918 the height heretofore customarily employed for metal type set up in chases.

Each of the locking bars 14 is preferably, but not necessarily, formed with diagonally knurled or roughened sides 17. When the bars 14 are assembled in the chase 11 these roughened side edges 17 engage the side walls of the type bodies 16 and effectively hold the type 16 in assembled, aligned position in the chase l1 and against accidental displacement.

The locking bars 14 are urged into engagement with the rubber type bodies 16 by means of wedges or quoins 18 which form part of the lock-up means. These quoins are slidably arranged upon the base 27 of the chase. Spacers or furniture in the form of wooden blocks, such as 19, may be arranged between the locking bars 14 wherever needed or desired.

It will be noted, by examination of Figs. 2 and 3, that the top faces 21 of the locking bars 14, when assembled in the chase 11, lie slightly above the top surfaces 25 of the side flanges l2, and that the printing faces 22 of the type 16 lie slightly above the top surfaces 21 of the type holder bars 14. Consequently, when the printing faces 22 of the rubber type bodies 16 are inked, by means of an inking roller or brayer (not shown), the upper surfaces 25 of the side flanges 12 are not apt to become smeared with ink. This is because even if the inking roller does wobble during the inking operation, it will first engage the upper surfaces 21 of the type holder bars 14 before engaging the top surfaces 25 of the side flanges 12. l'hus, the brayer is prevented from engaging and smearing the upper surfaces 25 of the side flanges 12 with ink. This feature is particularly important when there are comparatively few type 16 set up in each line, that is, when there are one or more short lines of type set up in the chase, as is the case with the short line of type 16 shown in Fig. l and it is also significant when a wide inking roller or brayer is used, that is, an

inking roller that is equal in length to the width of the chase between the outer sides of the side flanges 12. The explanation of this is as follows: A short line of type, or a series of such short lines, provides a very narrow base for the inking roller or bray r, and hence when the inking roller is run over such a narrow base or short line of type during the inking operation it tends to wobble, that is, to dip at one end and to rise at its other end. The result of this is that one end of the inking roller is pressed down toward the upper surface 25 of one of the side flanges 12 of the chase and is apt to smear ink thereon. However, with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 42, inclusive, this is prevented because of the fact t. at even if the inking roller does dip or wobble during the inking operation, its lower end first engages the top faces 21 of the locking bars 14 and is thereby prevented from engaging the upper faces 25 of either or both side flanges 12. Hence. when using the new apparatus the aforementioned undesirable marginal inked lines or borders are not apt to be formed on the marginal edges of the paper sheet during the printing operation, since the inking roller is prevented from engaging the side flanges 12 of the chase during the inking operation. This preventive result, accomplished by the cooperation of the locking bars 14 and chase 11, as shown and set forth, is an important feature of the new printing apparatus 10. This is particularly because of the fact that the present apparatus is designed principally for the use of school children who are not expected to exercise any particular care or skill during either the inking operation or the printing operation.

It, will be seen by reference to. Figs. 1 and 3 that thelocking bars 14 are slidably inserted into the chase 11 through the inlet 13; the inlet 13 being formed by opening one end of one of the end flange portions 26 and by opening one end of the side flange 12 that intersects therewith. As the type-holder bars 1.4 are projected through the inlet 13 they are slid under the said end flange portion 26 until they are completely within the confines of the bottom 27 or" the chase 11. Thus, the bars 14 are aligned for movement longitudinally over the bottom 2'7 of the chase and their end portions 15 are aligned for insertion under the side iianges 12 into the grooves or channelways 35, which is then accomplished by sliding the line-holder bars 14 longitudinally over the bottom 2'7 of the chase 11 (from left to right, as seen in ig. 1) into engagement with. or into properly spaced relation relative to, the'type 16 or cuts 3'7 'and 38.

Thus it will be noted that the type 15 and cuts 37-38 are proved up by the act of assembling them upon the bottom 27 of the chase and lock them up therein, without the use of a proof table, or other means. This is an important feature of the new apparatus since proof tables and other apparatus used for planing and proving up type are expensive and would be prohibitive in cost where the new apparatus including chase 11 will find its greatest use, namely, in schools that are not large enough to be equipped with a machine-operated printing press.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5, 6, and '7, the chase is generally indicated at 24 and is similar in construction to the chase 11, except that the upper surfaces 30 of the side and end flanges 31 and 32 of the chase 24 all lie in the same horizontal plane (Figs. 5, 8, 9, and 10). This is only a detail of construction, however, and the two forms of the chase shown may be used interchangeably. However, in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to '7, inclusive, the bars 28 (Fig. '7) differ from the bars 14 in having straight end portions 29 rather than having cut-out portions 15, as do the bars 14. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of the chase 24 with the locking bars 28 assembled therein.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6. and 7, the locking bars 28 are also inserted into the chase 24 through an inlet 33, that is similar to the inlet 13, whereupon the bars 28 are slid over the bottom 34 of the chase 24 and their end portions 29 are inserted into grooves or channelways 36 that are similar to the grooves 35, and which are formed by the cooperation of the flanges 3132 and the top of the base 34.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6, and '7, while differing from the form shown in Figs. 1 to i, in the design of the looking or type holder bars and in the arrangement of the upper surfaces 30 of the flanges 31 at a common level with the upper surfaces of the bars 28, works satisfactorily with the flat, shallow rubber type 16, with the unmounted rubber and linoleum cuts 3'738 (Figs. 8 to 10) and with the hand printpress described in my aforementioned copending application, but necessitates greater care and skill in manipulating the inking roller or brayer during the inking operation to avoid wobbling"- the inking roller or brayer so as to prevent the latter from engaging and smearing the top surfaces 30 of the flanges 31 with ink during the inking operation.

This apparatus and the hand printing press described in. my aforementioned co-pending application areparticularly designed for the use of school children and by their use the necessity for planing and proving up the rubber type 16 and the unmounted cuts 37-38 is eliminated. This is because of the fact that the rubber type 16 and cuts 37--38, being resilient, will yield or give sufficiently during the printing operation to make up for any little irregularities that may exist in theheight of the several type 16, or type 16 and cuts 3'738 that are assembled in the chase. This is a matter of considerable importance not only because proof tables are expensive, but because school children lack the skill and patience required to prove up type, as done heretofore in the use of the prior art chases.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10, the chase is shown with an unmounted rubber printing cut 37 and an unmounted linoleum cut 38 assembled and locked therein together with lines of rubber type 16; the

latter having indicia optionally selected to identify the designs shown on the cuts 3'7 and 38. This assembly of the type 16 and cuts 3'738 is shown better to illustrate the use of the chase. However, the rubber and linoleum cuts 3'788 may be used separately and either with or without the type 16.

By examination of Figs. 9 and 10, it will be noted that the unmounted rubber cut or printing form 37 and the unmounted linoleum cut 38 have the same vertical height or thickness as the flat, shallow type 16, and that these cuts are arranged upon and supported directly by the bottom 34 of the chase; being locked therein by the bars 28. When thus assembled and locked in the chase the printing faces 39 and 4c of the rubber and linoleum cuts 3'7 and 38, respectively, are, without further manipulation, planed and proved up to the same height as the printing faces 22 of the rubber type 16 and registry is obtained for reproducing copies therefrom.

The unmounted rubber out 3'7 is relatively very thin and flexible and tends to buckle or curl up under the pressure applied thereto by the locking bars 28 and wedges 18 when assembled in the chase. To overcome this tendency of the flexible, unmounted rubber cut 37 to buckle under the pressure of the locking bars 28 and wedges 18, I provide spacer bars or strips 40. These strips or bars 40 extend transversely between the looking bars 28 (Fig. 8) that look the rubber out 3'7 in place and are made slightly shorter in length than the rubber cut 3'7 so that the said bars 28, under the pressure of the lock-up wedges 18, exert a gripping action on the ends of the rubber cut 37 but are prevented, by engagement with the ends of the transverse bars 40, from exerting sufilcient pressure on the flexible rubber cut 3'7 to buckle the same.

The cost of rubber cuts increases greatly with the thicl ess and mounting of the same. It is, therefore, desirable to be able to use rubber cuts that are unmounted and relatively very thin, as is the cut 3'? (approximately A Unmounted rubber outs of this thickness have not heretofore been used in the art in the manner shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10 hereof, since no prior art chase and lock-up means has heretofore ever been de-- signed, in so far as I amaware, to accommodate unmounted, flexible, rubber cuts that are less than type high (0.918"). In any event, it has always been the practice in the art to mount rubber cuts on a base, customarily in the form of a wooden block, so that the printing face of the cut would be "type" high (0.918") to register with the printing: faces of any metal type, of the aforementioned customary height, that might be locked in the chase with the mounted rubber cut. Furthermore, since the prior art chases have in general been designed to lock up metal type of the customary height of 0.918", it has always heretofore been considered necessary to mount rubber cuts to bring their printing faces up to this height. The present, apparatus, however, eliminates the expense incidental to mounting rubber cuts and also eliminates the labor of proving the same up to a common height (type high) with the rubber type that may be used and locked up therewith in the chase.

The present apparatus likewise eliminates the necessity for, and the customary practice heretofore of, mounting linoleum cuts on a base, usually a wooden block, to bring the printing face of the linoleum out up to type high, so as to obtain registry with the customary height of metal type used therewith. Hence, since the present apparatus enables school children to use unmounted linoleum cuts made directly from socalled battleship linoleum, which comes in two thicknesses, 6 mm., and 6.35 mm., it effects a distinct economy in use since large quantities of linoleum are now used in the schools since this form of art work has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Since so-called battleship linoleum, of which the out 38 is made, is considerably more rigid than the rubber cut 37 of the same thickness, the bars are not required to prevent buckling of the unmounted linoleum out under pressure of the lock-up means l8-28. This last statement is also true of the relatively short type 16.

It is to be noted that the whole apparatus is designed to accommodate itself to the shallowness of the flat rubber type 16 and of the rubber cuts 37 and linoleum cuts 38 which differ radically in depth from the type high metal type heretofore customarily used in chases. Thus it is to be observed that in the use of the present apparatus the rubber type 16, the rubber cut 37, the linoleum cut 38, and the locking bars i l-28 rest directly upon and are supported by the upper surface of the base or bottom 27-34 of the chase, rather than upon a proof table, as in the use of prior art chases. This necessitates that the flanges 1226 and 31-432 cooperate with the bases 27 and 34 of the chases to provide the marginal grooves or channelways 35-36 for the reception of the ends l529 of the locking bars 14-28, respectively. No prior art chase was found constructed or suitable for use with the printing press described in my aforementioned copending application, nor designed to accommodate the shallow rubber type 16, and the unmounted rubber and linoleum cuts 3'7 and 38 assembled as shown and described herein, and this fact gave rise to the development of the present apparatus.

In the claims the term printing cut is intended to include the unmounted rubber cuts such as 37, and unmounted linoleum cuts, such as 38, and any like or equivalent printing body or cut, regardless of the material of which it is made, that can be assembled and locked in the chase 12 24 in the manner in which the cuts 37 and 38 are assembled and locked th rein. Thus, in place of the unmounted rubber out 3''! I may substitute a raised map form, for printing geographical maps, and such a map form is shown in my aforementioned co-pending application.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of the new apparatus, I do not limit myself to the exact details shown and described but intend to avail myself of such variations as are permissible within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In printers apparatus, the combination of: a shallow, pan-like chase formed from a single blank of material and consisting of a flat, rectangular base having parallel top and bottom surfaces; said base having a marginal flange formed integrally therewith; said flange projecting over the upper surface of said base and cooperating therewith to provide a marginal groove extending around the edges of said base; flat, shallow, rubber type less than type high having their bottom surfaces resting directly upon and supported by the upper surface of said base; and lock-up means including flat locking bars slidably arranged upon said base having their bottom surfaces resting directly upon and supported by the upper surface of said base and parallel thereto to hold said type in assembled relation; said bars having end portions slidably projected into said groove; said flange having a cutout portion at one corner of the chase providing an inlet to the chase through which said locking bars are slidably inserted onto the upper surface of the said base of the chase.

2. In printers apparatus, the combination of: a shallow, pan-like chase formed from a single blank of material and consisting of a flat; rectangular base having parallel top and bottom surfaces; said base having a marginal flange formed integrally therewith; said flange projecting over the upper surface of said base and cooperating therewith to provide a marginal groove extending around the edges of said base; flat, shallow, rubber type having their bottom surfaces resting directly upon and supported by the upper surface of said base; and lock-up means includ ing locking bars having their bottom surfaces resting directly upon and supported by the upper surface of said base and parallel thereto to hold said type in assembled relation; said bars having undercut end portions slidably projected into said groove; the upper surfaces of said bars being disposed slightly above the upper surface of said flange and slightly below the printing faces of said type to prevent the inking roller from engaging the upper surface of said flange during the operation of inking the printing faces of i said type.

3. In printers apparatus, the combination of: a shallow, pan-like chase formed from a single blank of material and consisting of a flat, rectangular base having parallel top and bottom surfaces; said base having a marginal flange formed integrally therewith; said flange projecting over the upper surface of said base and co operating therewith to provide a marginal groove extending around the edges of said base; flat, shallow, rubber type having their bottom surfaces resting directly upon and supported by the upper surface of said base; lock-up means including flat locking bars having their bottom surfaces resting directly upon and supported by the upper surface of said base and parallel thereto to hold said type in assembled relation; said bars having undercut end portions slidably projected into said groove; the upper surfaces of said bars being disposed slightly below the printing faces of said type and slightly above the upper surface of said flange to prevent the inking roller from engaging the upper surface of said flange during operation of inking the printing faces of said type; said flange having a cut-out slidably arranged upon, and supported directly by, the upper surface of said base and parallel thereto; said bars having end portions slidably projected into said grooves; and spacer bars extending transversely between the said locking bars and slightly shorter in length than the length of the said out between the said locking bars to prevent buckling of the out under the pressure of the lock-up means.

HARVEY J. REARDON. 

